Longitudinal study of the breath of healthy volunteers using SIFT-MS Claire Turner 1, Patrik Španěl 2, David Smith FRS 3 1 Cranfield University, Silsoe, Bedford, MK45 4DT, UK 2 V.Čermák Laboratory, J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, 182 23, Prague 8, Czech Republic. 3 Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, School of Medicine, Keele University, Thornburrow Drive, Hartshill, Stokeon-Trent, ST4 7QB, U.K.
Monitoring breath in healthy volunteers Finding out what is normal Extending studies already done Greater number of volunteers Longer duration of study
Experimental plan 3 volunteers recruited, 11 F 19 M range of ages (24-59) range of BMIs (18.4 to 3.1) 3 smokers, 27 non-smokers weekly morning samples given for 6 months questionnaires completed for each sample 6 sets of breath samples taken each time to analyse main metabolites and other compounds
Questionnaire details Age, gender Weight, height (body mass index, BMI) Health and stressed or calm Diet over 24 hours Alcohol consumed over 24 hours Cigarettes smoked Artificial sweetener consumption Medication taken How well volunteer slept Exercise taken
Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS).1 trace gas analyser uses one of 3 selected precursor ions; rapid switching between precursors precursors selected with upstream quadrupole precursors react with trace gas species but not air components exploits chemical ionisation of species
Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS).2 downstream quadrupole separates product ions quantification possible with knowledge of reaction kinetics can operate in quantitative mode (MUI) for looking at specific ions can operate in semi quantitative mode (MSE) to do whole mass spectrum
disposable mouthpiece direct breath sample to air microwave resonator helium carrier gas sample, trace gas (M) in air or breath heated calibrated capillary heated sampling line Roots pump channeltron ion detector H 3 O + H NH + 3 O + (H 2 O),1,2 4 (H 2 O),1,2 + + NO + NO + (H (CH 3 ) 2 CONO + 2 O),1,2 gas discharge ion source helium carrier gas flow reaction length, l injection vacuum pump injection quadrupole mass filter detection quadrupole mass spectrometer detection vacuum pump
18 17 16 water vapour 5.43 % 5.47 % 5.47 % 1.7 % 1. % 1 5 ppb 4 1 3 1 2 1 acetone 463 ± 25 ppb 457 ± 25 ppb 462 ± 22 ppb 4 ± 2 ppb 12 ± 5 ppb 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 time [s] s
c/s 9/5/25 12:1:37, H3O+,,, p=.749, fc=53.7, f1=1.44, A=13.9, Tg=298, lr=34.1 memory 28k 73 Id=24.3pA int=.4, vg= 5255, t=4.326 1 4 19 37 55 32 1 3 1 2 18 3 36 54 57 69 75 77 91 79 48 61 66 1 1 1 1-1 1 2 19.,73.2(.3,.7) 3 4 5 6 m/z 7 8 9 1 11
Advantages of SIFT-MS direct or off-line samples real time analysis (typically just a few seconds) wide dynamic range of different compounds in same sample (low ppb to %) absolute quantification (unlike GC-MS) water saturated samples cause no problems can rapidly use all precursor ions for identification of sample
SIFT MS analysis use of three precursor ions for each breath volunteer s weekly visit: quantitative MUI profiles taken of main breath components less quantitative MSE scans taken using each precursor to identify other breath compounds
Major volatile breath metabolites isoprene cholesterol, organ failure ethanol gut flora activity acetaldehyde tumour marker? ammonia elevated in uraemia, liver disease acetone elevated in diabetes methanol? (iso) propanol - diabetes? acetonitrile - smoking
Isoprene results 481 samples taken range: to 474 ppb mean value: 118 ppb, s.d. 68 ppb no correlation observed with cholesterol levels moderate exercise rapidly increases breath isoprene no correlation with age, gender or bmi
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Isoprene distribution Isoprene distribution -19 2-39 4-59 6-79 8-99 1-119 12-139 14-159 16-179 18-199 2-219 22-239 24-259 26-279 28-299 3+ ppb range Number of breath samples
Ethanol and acetaldehyde 478 ethanol tests range - 1663 ppb, mean 196 ppb s.d. 244 ppb 391 acetaldehyde tests range to 14 ppb mean 24 ppb s.d. 17 ppb
Ethanol and acetaldehyde (2) sugar consumed within 2 hours of sample affects breath ethanol acetaldehyde is unaffected by sugar ethanol and acetaldehyde are not correlated ethanol is not correlated with alcohol consumed more than 9 hours prior to test both endogenous some background ethanol; no acetaldehyde
Ethanol and acetaldehyde distributions n 15 1 a) ethanol (all) mean=196 ppb n 1 d) acetaldehyde (all) mean=24 ppb 5 5 n 1 1 log(a) [ppb] 1 ppb 1 1 b) ethanol (no sugar) mean=115 ppb n 1 log(a) log(a) 1 [ppb] [ppb] 1 ppb e) acetaldehyde (no sugar) mean=24 ppb 15 6 1 4 5 2 n 8 6 4 2 1 1 log(a) [ppb] 1 ppb 1 1 c) ethanol (after sugar) mean=323 ppb 1 1 log(a) [ppb] 1 ppb 1 1 n 5 4 3 2 1 1 log(a) log(a) 1 [ppb] [ppb] 1 ppb f) acetaldehyde (after sugar) mean=24 ppb log(a) [ppb] 1 1 1 ppb
Ammonia 48 samples taken range: 248 to 2935 ppb mean value: 933 ppb, s.d. 461 ppb strong correlation observed with age no correlation observed with gender or diet may be influenced by background levels
Ammonia distribution 1 9 8 ammonia 7 number 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 ppb 1 2 3
Acetone 481 samples taken range: 148 to 2744 ppb mean value: 535 ppb, s.d. 297 ppb acetone is correlated with calories consumed no strong correlation with bmi difference in acetone levels between men and women (men > women)
Acetone distribution 12 1 acetone 8 n u m b e r 6 4 2 2 3 ppb 1 2 3
(Iso) - propanol mean value 22 ppb, s.d. 17 ppb weak but significant correlation between (iso)propanol and acetone possibly significant in diabetes
Methanol 477 samples taken range: 32 to 1684 ppb mean value: 52 ppb, s.d. 239 ppb methanol decreases with increasing BMI slight increase in methanol after fruit consumption no correlation of methanol with breath ethanol or ethanol units consumed in previous 24 hours
Summary compounds and means Isoprene Ethanol Acetaldehyde Ammonia Acetone (Iso) propanol Methanol 118 196 24 933 535 22 52
Implications extending limits of normal ranges isoprene range a surprise contamination by mouth flora sometimes significant; perhaps gut flora background levels may be significant, especially with ammonia
Future work multivariate statistical analysis of all data unique fingerprints may be possible examining mse scan data for additional breath compounds present - identification using data to produce healthy profile - extend to disease diagnosis looking at breath compounds in disease states new, small instrument now available